Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jon Baldwin protects the ball on a 17-yard reception as San Diego Chargers cornerback Marcus Gilchrist, left, and safety Eric Weddle, bottom, defend during the first quarter of an NFL football game Monday, Oct. 31, 2011, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
/ AP

KANSAS CITY, Mo. 
Philip Rivers fumbled a snap with 48 seconds left in regulation, costing the San Diego Chargers a chance to kick a winning field goal and sending their game against the Kansas City Chiefs to overtime tied 20-20 on Monday night.

The Chargers had the ball first-and-10 at the Chiefs' 15 when Rivers mishandled the snap. The Chiefs' Andy Studebaker clawed under a pile of bodies and came away with the ball.

Kansas City wasn't content to play for overtime, though.

Matt Cassel hit Keary Colbert for 19 yards and Dwayne Bowe over the middle for 20 more to give the Chiefs a chance for their own winning kick. But he badly overthrew his intended target moments later, and Eric Weddle picked him off for the second time to send the game to overtime.

Kansas City (3-3), which has won three straight after an abysmal start, can move into a tie for first in the AFC West with San Diego (4-2) and the idle Oakland Raiders with a victory before a raucous crowd of 72,733 on Halloween night. The Chiefs would be the first team in NFL history to lose their first three games and be tied or leading a division after seven games.

Kansas City had things going the right direction early.

Cassel hit Jonathan Baldwin for 17 yards to convert a long third down on the Chiefs' first drive, and Bowe for 26 more on another third-and-long to set up Ryan Succop's 36-yard field goal.

Rivers threw his second interception of the quarter a few minutes later, turning the momentum back to the Chiefs. Cassel found fullback Le'Ron McClain open for 16 yards, and a personal foul penalty for hitting a defenseless receiver on San Diego moved the ball to the Chargers 39.

Cassel dropped back and saw Baldwin streaking for the end zone, and the rookie wide receiver out-jumped fellow rookie Marcus Gilchrist for his first career touchdown catch and a 10-0 lead.

Rivers continued his early season struggles in the first quarter.

The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback was intercepted by Kendrick Lewis on the first play of San Diego's second possession. His second pick was tipped by defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry and dropped into the hands of Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson.

Succop kicked his second field goal of the game just before halftime for a 13-3 lead.

The Chargers defense kept them in the game in the third quarter, holding the Chiefs to a pair of three-and-outs and picking off Cassel for the second time. Kansas City only managed 44 yards of total offense through the second and third quarters.

Novak knocked through three field goals in the third quarter, drawing the Chargers within 13-12, but their inability to get into the end zone nearly cost them.

Kansas City finally got its offense in gear, marching 74 yards in 10 plays early in the fourth quarter. Jackie Battle finished off the drive by leaping over the scrum from a yard out, giving the Chiefs a 20-12 lead with 12:01 left in the game.